System and method for the manufacture, storage and transportation of hydrogen and oxygen gas

Abstract

A system for the manufacture, storage and transportation of hydrogen and oxygen gas wherein deep sealed production chambers ( 10 ) capable of withstanding high pressures are provided and water is fed by gravity from a water source to the bottom of the deep sealed production chamber ( 10 ) thereby producing water( 16 ) in the bottom of the production chamber ( 10 ) under substantial pressure. Hydrogen and oxygen gas are produced in the water at the bottom of the production chamber ( 10 ) with electrolysis and the produced oxygen is captured in an oxygen escape pipe ( 18 ) extending from the bottom of the production chamber ( 10 ) to the exterior ( 19 ) of the production chamber ( 10 ), the oxygen escape pipe ( 18 ) containing a positive anode electrode ( 25 ) for the electrolysis in the bottom end of the oxygen pipe. The hydrogen gas is collected under pressure at the upper storage area ( 22 ) of the production chamber ( 10 ).

I claim:  
     
       1. A method of manufacturing, storing and transporting hydrogen and oxygen gas, comprising:
 feeding water under hydrostatic pressure from a body of water by gravity down through a pipe to the interior bottom of a deep sealed production chamber, which is rigid and noncollapsible; 
 producing hydrogen and oxygen gas in and under the applied pressure of said water at the bottom of said production chamber with electrolysis, 
 capturing the produced oxygen gas in an oxygen escape pipe extending from the bottom of said production chamber to exterior of said production chamber, said oxygen gas escape pipe containing a positive anode electrode for the electrolysis in a bottom end of said oxygen pipe, 
 storing the produced hydrogen gas under pressure above said water under hydrostatic pressure in said sealed production chamber by directly contacting said hydrogen gas thereunder with said water under hydrostatic pressure from said body of water; 
 periodicallly releasing said stored hydrogen gas in said production chamber for transportation under said hydrostatic pressure while sustaining a pressurized state of the hydrogen gas during expulsion of stored gas volume from said production chamber by continuously applying the hydrostatic pressure of replenished water from said body of water to the stored hydrogen gas volume, thereby enabling such gas to be transported or restored in a pressurized state without the need for further energy consumption to compress the hydrogen gas. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , including also capturing and storing said produced oxygen gas under pressure in a sealed container by directly contacting said oxygen gas thereunder with said water under hydrostatic pressure from said body of water. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , including providing a floating seal on said water in said production chamber for thereby segregating said stored hydrogen gas from said water thereunder. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , providing said production chamber from an underground pit. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein said water is fed into said production chamber from the bottom portion of a body of water. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said electrolysis is energized by electricity generated from solar panels or wind mill generators. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein said produced hydrogen and oxygen are burned at selected times for generating electricity. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said high pressure of said production chamber is in excess of 500 psi. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein th depth of said production chamber is in excess of 100 feet.